@EgonZehnder The intersection of professional responsibilities with personal goals and values

The intersection of professional responsibilities with personal goals and values

A total of 1,275 members of the Club of Leaders and followers of Egon Zehnder’s LinkedIn and Twitter channels participated in our latest International Executive Panel exploring the alignment between personal goals and priorities with professional responsibilities.

The findings of the survey – combined with our own observations in the field – suggest that there is a great deal of untapped opportunity to increase that alignment. Doing so would have a significant impact on both organizational performance and personal satisfaction.

A range of motivations hampers communication

A wide spectrum of internal and external motivators were reported – with no single factor chosen by more than 55 percent of respondents. That executives are motivated by many factors increases the possibilities for misalignment between organizations and executives communicate about roles and responsibilities.

Searching for a direction other than up

The overwhelming majority (70 percent) of executives we surveyed feel that too much emphasis is placed on moving up the organizational chart when lateral moves should also be held in esteem. This is echoed by the finding that only 31 percent of respondents believe their organization has effective ways to reward high performance other than promotion.

An opportunity to connect

When asked if their organization helps them unlock their potential, 60 percent of respondents were neutral or negative. An even larger number – 72 percent – would welcome more help from their organization to pinpoint and pursue their personal motivations and goals.

Rethinking assumptions about the talent market

In recent years, executives evaluating their current position (or an opportunity elsewhere) have begun to place a greater weight on personal fulfillment and alignment with values. However, many of the mechanisms and assumptions that drive the talent market have failed to keep pace with these changes.

The responsibility for improving this situation is shared between organizations and executives. To read our suggestions for finding common ground, please see the full report, which is available here (http://www.egonzehnder.com/iep-identity).